The Rockets were a summer sensation on the prairies in the early 1950s as they brought "black ball" to the diamonds of the north as entertaining as they were talented.
Names noted on the back of the photo - Pancho Gray, Tom Alston, George Lipscombe, Jim Morrow, Jesse James Blackman, Hubert Collins, Horace Latham, Isiah Quarterman, Lefty Jenkins, Lindsay Carswell, Henry Cameron, Lefty Calhoun, Bill Randolph, Alexander Wolf Williams, Frank Tillman, Jim Williams (MGR)
1950 roster - Alston Tom 1B, Blackman Jesse 1B/RHP, Boyd Lincoln OF (also Regina Caps), Burgess Tom OF, Calhoun Walter P, Cameron Henry Red, Carswell Lindsay OF, Collins Hubert PeeWee SS, Dennis Doc 1B (also Nashville), Gray Pancho (also Regina Red Sox), Green Cotshel, Green Louis C, Jenkins Dan P, Latham Horace INF, Lipscomb George OF, Morrow Jim RHP, Pane Holly, Quarterman Isiah C, Randolph Jimmy Colin INF, Russell Frank, Tillman Frank/Spike SS, Washington George, Williams Jim Big Jim MGR, Williams Wolf Alex P, Wylie Steve Ensloe RHP (also Minot, Swift Current)
The local officials, in the very back row (left to right) - Steve Niven, Dick Jewitt, Jim Robison, Les Booker, Jack Watts.
Williams is in the back row, extreme left. Horace Latham is the player, back row, between officials Booker and Watts. Green is in the front row, third from the left.
Thanks to Ken McCabe, Indian Head Sports Hall of Fame and Museum for most of the Indian Head photos.
1951 Rockets roster - Alston Tom 1B, Barnhill Herbert Barney C, Blackman Jesse 1B/RHP, Brewer Chet RHP (also Sceptre), Cameron Henry Red C, Carswell Lindsay OF, Coleman Johnny P/OF, Davis Edward Peanuts RHP, Ford John, Green Shedrick OF, Harris Charlie 3B, Jenkins Dan P, Landrum Lee C (also Estevan), Latham Horace INF, Leal Toribio LHP, Lovelace Jim 2B, Morrow Jim RHP, Osorio Pedro OF (also Sceptre), Prescott Bob 2B/3B/OF (also Sceptre), Robinson Charlie 3B, Sheppard Fred RHP/OF (also Minot, Estevan), Stone Dick LHP (also Moose Jaw Canucks), Swota Andy LHP (also North Battleford), Varona Clement SS, Williams Jim (Big Jim) MGR, Witherspoon Lester OF/1B
Some guesses :
Back row - far left, Cutprice Washington (team official), 3rd from the left, Charles Harris, coach, 4th from the left, Edward "Peanuts" Davis. To his right, Herbert Barnhill. Then, Tom Alston and to Alston's right, Jim Williams. Next to Williams is Chet Brewer. Far right, Lester Witherspoon and to Witherspoon's right (our left) looks like Red Cameron.
Front row - far left, appears to be Toribio Leal, except he appears to have a glove for his left hand and he's supposed to be a lefty) , 3rd from left, Jesse Blackman, 5th from the left, Horace Latham
1952 Standing: John Jones (U), Emmett Neal (1b), Hiram Marshall (U), Nat Bates (P), Eloyd Robinson (SS), Horace Latham (U), Adair Ford (C), Charlie McMillar (P), Andy Porter (P), Jim Williams (Manager). Front: Percy Trimont (OF), Winters Calvin (OF), Pumpsie Green (3b-C), Willie Reed (2b), Toribio Leal (P), Rolando Garcia (P), Joseph Brooks (P-OF)
1952 Roster - Indian Head Rockets : Bates Nat P, Brooks Joseph. RHP/OF, Calvin Winters OF, Donaldson Ira P (also Dauphin), Ford Adair C, Ford John, Garcia Rolando RHP, Green Elijah Pumpsie INF, Jones John UT, Latham Horace INF, Leal Toribio LHP, Marshall Hiram UT, McMillar Charlie P, Morrow Jim RHP (also Saskatoon), Neal Emmett 1B, Porter Andy RHP (also North Battleford, Carman), Reed Willie 2B, Robinson Eloyd INF, Trimont Percy OF, Williams JimBig Jim MGR
The 1953 Indian Head Rockets. Note Gilberto Yzquierdo, back row, extreme right, in the Florida Cubans uniform. Back row (left to right) : Not known, not known, Orlando Chico O'Farrill, Mario Penalver, Roberto Barbon, not known, not known, Yzquierdo. Front row (left to right) : Not known, Juan Prats, Marcelino Arozarena, not known, not known, Pedro Seoane.
1953 Roster -
Indian Head : It was a whole new lineup for the Rockets in 1953 as most of the 1952 club moved on to Regina with manager Jimmy Williams. The Florida Cubans of 1952 formed the basis of the Indian Head team of 1953. Arozarena Marcelino 3B, Barbon Roberto P, Conner Will P, Guerino Jose OF, Hernandez Jose Hippy P, Hernandez Juan P, Johnson J P, Miranda Miguel C, O'Farrill Orlando Chico SS, Penalver Mario OF, Prats Juan UT, Ruyal Mario OF, Reed C, Seoane Pedro 1B, White Sammy P, Yzquierdo Gilberto Mgr
Andrews Curly, Arozarena Marcelino UT, Barbon Roberto UT, Conner Will P, Guerino Jose OF, Hernandez Jose Hippy P, Hernandez Juan P, Johnson J P, Miranda Miguel C, O'Farrill Orlando Chico SS, Penalver Mario OF (also Florida Cubans), Prats Juan RHP, Reed C, Reyes Leopoldo 3B/OF (also Saskatoon), Ruyal Mario OF, Seoane Pedro 1B (also Florida Cubans), White Sammy Lee, Yzquierdo Gilberto C/MGR
(A team barnstorming in the USA under the banner of the Florida Cubans boasted a lineup which included - Mario Penalver, Pedro Seoane, Mario Herrera, Roberto Barbon, Jose Hernandez, Juan Dominguez, Wilfredo Gonzales, Orlando Arango and Carlos Forten. The manager was listed as Jesse Richardson) - The Abilene Reporter-News, May 18, 1953.
Below - Indian Head Rockets, 1953 Saskatchewan Provincial finalists. Front : Pedro Seoane 1b, Orlando O'Farrill ss, Marcelino Arozarena 3b, Juan Prats u. Standing : Roberto Barbon 2b, Miquel Miranda c, Will Conner p, J. Johnson p, Mario Penalver rf, Sammy White p, A. Williams official, Gilberto Yzquierdo mgr, Jose Guerino lf. (Notice the "C" on the caps -- Florida Cubans ?) (Photo courtesy National Baseball Congress, 1954 Annual)
1954 - Indian Head Rockets :
Indian Head Rockets : Jose "Hippy" Hernandez was the club's manager for the second year. The 1954 club had two players from the Panama Canal Zone. Lloyd Smith and Eric George were reported to have had outstanding records in the Panama League.
Arango Orlando P, Arozarena Marcelino UT, Darby Moses OF, Fabre Sergio RHP, Garcia Juan Rene 3B, George Eric RHP, Harry Earl UT, Hernandez Jose Hippy P, Iglesias Antonio 1B, Martinez Armando P, Mesa Sylvio OF, Miranda Miguel C, Penalver Mario OF, Pilato Francisco RHP, Prats Juan RHP, Rodriguez Manola P, Rodriguez Rod/Monola, Seoane Pedro 1B, Smith Lloyd P, Sullivan Wilson C, Valladares Jose SS/2B (also Saskatoon), Washington Ross P/OF, White Sammy Lee, Williams Jim Big Jim MGR, Xiques Leopolodo OF, York Clarence 3B, Yzquierdo Gilberto C/MGR
Not certain what year this is, but Jim Williams, the Rockerts' manager accepting another trophy for a tournament victory. Pretty sure that is Horace Latham, the player to the left of the man holding the microphone.
Putting names to some old photos (if you can help, please write!) The numbered photos are from the 1951 team photo. The named photos are from various sources, various years.
 #1 ? |
 #2 ? |
 #3 ? |
 #4 ? |
 #6 ? |
 #7 ? |
 #8 ? |
 #10 ? |
 #11 ? |
 #12 ? |
 #14 ? |
 #15 ? |
 #16 ? |
 #17 ? |
 #19 ? |
 Tom Alston |
 Tom Alston |
 Herbert Barnhill |
 Jesse Blackman |
 Chet Brewer |
 Red Cameron |
 Lindsay Carswell |
 Peanuts Davis |
 Pancho Gray |
 Shedrick BeBe Green |
 Louis Green |
 Charles Harris |
 Horace Latham |
 Toribio Leal |
 Miguel Miranda |
 Jim Morrow |
 Pedro Osorio |
 Bobby Prescott |
 Charlie Robinson |
 Jim Williams |
#2 Charles Harris (coach)?,
#3, Edward "Peanuts" Davis?,
#4 Herbert Barnhill?
#8 Lester Witherspoon?,
#10 Cutprice Washington (team official) ?
#11 appears to be Toribio Leal (except in the full photo he has a glove for his left hand and he's supposed to be a lefty) ?
#15 could be Horace Latham ?