1953 Tournaments

Tournament ball was a key element in the summer sports scene on the prairies. 

(The governing body of non-professional baseball, The National Baseball Congress, published an annual non-pro handbook.  For 1953 it noted three major tournaments -- Indian Head, Camrose and Lloydminster. The Indian Head Rockets won the Indian Head and Camrose tourneys and the Saskatoon Gems won at Lloydminster.  By virtue of winning those tournaments, the Gems and the Rockets met for the Saskatchewan title. 

(May 20)   Foremost Tournament   Willie Walasko sparked Pincher Creek Dominoes to top money in the annual Foremost baseball tournament. Walasko fired two shutouts including the 8-0 victory over Medicine Hat Mercurys 8-0 in the final and a 1-0 win over Grassy Lake in the tournament opener Monday.  He compiled 16 strikeouts in his first shutout.  Dominoes drew a bye into the title game.  Mercurys advanced to the semi-finals with a 7-6 win over Vauxhall Verdants. The hometown Braves were eliminated in dropping a 4-3 decision to the Brooks Sabres.  Shore fanned 13 in gaining thewin.  Medicine Hat topped Brooks 5-2. 

(July 22)  Saskatoon took a one game lead in the best of three series with a 6-1 victory at Cairns Field in Saskatoon.  Right-hander Jim Morrow tossed a four-hitter for the win.  Sherman Watrous had three hits for the Gems.  Ted Wills drove in three for the Gems with a pinch-hit triple in the 6th inning. Pedro Seone of the Rockets had the only homer.

White (L) and Miranda
Morrow (W) and Snead

(August 7)  Saskatoon captured the National Baseball Congress Saskatchewan title with a 6-4 win over Indian Head. Gems won the best-of-three series in two straight games.  Mike Kanshin held the Rockets to six hits to pick up the win.  He fanned nine and walked one.  

Kanshin (W) and Shirley
Roberto Barbon, Jose Hernandez (L) (6) and Reed
 

(June 10)  Saskatoon won the 4th annual tourney in Prince Albert with a 4-2 win over Regina in the final  The Gems took home first place money of $1,400.  The game was called after four innings by dense smoke and fog from the city dump.  Some 3-thousand fans watched the final day of the tournament in sweltering weather, except for a thirty-minute rainstorm.

Morrow (W) and Dean
Latham (L), Pickens (3) and Snead

Gems reached the final with a 15-4 win over Prince Albert.  Jim Ryan had a homer and a double for the Gems while Max Bentley added three singles.

Cisnero, Vera (W)  (4) and Dean
Pierce (L), Pearson (3), Graham (5) and Ingram

Regina's Horace Latham allowed 18 hits, but went the distance as the Caps shaded North Battleford 10-8 to win a berth in the final.  Beavers helped the Caps' offense by making seven errors.

Latham (W) and Snead
Blackman, Weekly (L) (1), Coleman (5) and Green

In opening round action, Saskatoon's Reg Pendleton delivered a two-run pinch hit single in the 8th inning to give the Gems a 6-4 win over Indian Head.  Max Bentley had two hits and two runs batted in for Saskatoon.  Mario Ruyal homered for the Rockets.

Griggs (W) and Watrous
Conner (L) and Yzquierdo

North Battleford, with a five-run 8th inning, downed Medicine Hat Phillies 6-4.  Chuck Holdaway tossed a five-hitter for the win.

Holdaway (W) and Green
Tyler (L) and Lambert

Prince Albert Imperials scored five in the top of the 1st inning and hung on to beat Melfort Juniors 7-4.  A two-run homer by Washington was the key hit for the Imperials.  19-year-old Bob Holowaty allowed just three hits after the disastrous first frame.

Long, Pierson (W) (5) and Howard
Holowaty (L) and Fennell 

Regina Caps downed Moose Jaw Maples 9-3 as Frank Pickens scattered six hits for the win.  

Pickens (W) and Snead
Bruno (L) , Tanner (4) and Douzas

(June 17)  North Battleford won top prize of $1,400 in the Lloydminster tournament downing Delisle 6-1 in the final.  The contest was played in heavy rain.  The teams went through with the contest to get around a tournament ruling which would have had the clubs split first prize money (with second prize money withdrawn) if the final was washed out. 

The Beavers had defeated Grandview, Manitoba 4-0 in a semi-final match.  Delisle made the final with a 15-4 trouncing of the Indian Head Rockets.

Morrow (W) and Shirley
Johnson (L), Prats (1), Conner (5) and Miranda

In opening day action, Delisle topped Medicine Hat Phillies 4-2 as Murray Coben and Bennie Griggs combined on a four-hitter.

Bormouth (L) and Lambert
Coben (W), Griggs (9) and Shirley

Indian Head edged Prince Albert Imperials (Ligon All-Stars) 4-3.  Two Prince Albert players were taken into custody by the RCMP after a fan was attacked.  The fan had heckled the Imperials for protesting an umpire's decision and two players charged into the stands after him.

Long (L) and Howard
Hernandez (W) and Miranda

Johnny Coleman tossed a six-hitter with 14 strikeouts and poked a three-run homer as North Battleford dumped Westlock 10-1.  Rollie Miles had three hits for the losers.  Marv Rickert, a former major leaguer, was in the lineup for Westlock.  In 1952, Rickert had hit .262 with 13 homers in the International League.  The previous season, Rickert had blasted 35 homers and driven in 104 in a stint with Baltimore of the IL.

Vern Callihan (L), Stefureak (8) and Roberts
Coleman (W) and Green

Grandview, of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan League, trounced Leduc Oilers 17-7 as Frank Watkins went the distance for the win.

Watkins (W) and Burbage
Kadatz (L),  Marshall (6), Brown (9) and Owens

(June 26)  In the Lacombe tournament, George Ligon's Negro All-Stars (who were based in Prince Albert) whipped Indian Head 9-2 to take first prize money ($1,400).  Percy Howard led the All-Stars with a pair of homers, a two-run shot in the 2nd and a solo homer in the 7th.  William Washington had three hits including a two-run homer.  Frank Pearson held the Rockets to just three hits in pitching his second game of the day.

Pearson (W) and Howard
Miranda (L), Hernandez (5), White (9) and Yzquierdo, Miranda (6)

Ligon's reached the final with a 9-7 win over Delisle.

Hutton, Dinero (L) (2), Murray (6), Coben (6) and Dean
Pearson, Kelly(W) (6) and Howard

Indian Head clobbered Carstairs Cardinals 29-9 in the other semi-final.  Rockets scored ten runs in the opening frame.

Barbon, Prats (W) (3) and Miranda
Kirk (L), Berlando (1), Gazely (5) and Noble.

Delisle Gems gained the last semi-final berth scoring a 5-4, 10 inning win over the Edmonton Pontiacs in the final game of the opening day.  Third baseman Jimmy Shields scored the winner on Del St. John's single.  Shields had opened the inning with a single and moved to third on a hit by pitcher Lefty Lauer.

Coben, Lauer (W) (7) and Dean
Seaman, Bill Olson (L) (10) and Bob Olson, Shaw (10)

17-year-old Avery Long tossed a no-hitter as Ligon's dumped the Central Alberta All-Stars 6-0. 

Devost (L) , McGregor (8) and Martin
Long (W) and Howard

Carstairs Cardinals upset the New York Harlem Black Yankees 4-0 as Don Kirk tossed a three-hit shutout !  

Brown (L) and Shelton
Kirk (W) and Noble

Indian Head scored seven runs in the first inning and held on to top Brooks Buffaloes 9-6.

White, Conner (W) (3), Hernandez (7) and Miranda
Unchelenko (L), White (1) and McBride
  

(July 1)  The final game of Saskatoon's 5th annual Optimist Tournament was rained out.  Saskatoon Gems and Regina Caps split the top prize money.  

Gems' pitcher Ted Wills got Regina leadoff man Johnny Lloyd to foul out and that was all for the final as more than 5-thousand fans headed for cover as a cloudburst turned the diamond into a sea of mud.

Saskatoon reached the final blasting North Battleford 13-0 as Jim Morrow tossed a five-hit shutout and belted a three-run homer.

Coleman (L), Dzingelowski (4), L Dean (6) and Green
Morrow (W) and Shirley, Romay (5)

Regina trounced Kamsack 12-5 scoring six runs in the first inning. Percy Trimont had five hits including a two-run homer.

Zeeben (L), Dodd (1), Bigelow (2) and Bennett
Bruton, Pickens (W) (3) and Trimont

In first round games, Beavers edged Grandview 5-4, Gems blanked Prince Albert 5-0, Regina whipped Yorkton Cardinals 11-2 and Kamsack ousted Delisle, 11-2.

Curtis Tate stole home in the bottom of the 9th as the Beavers shaded Grandview 5-4.  Tate had three hits.  Art Stone had a two-run homer for North Battleford.

Wylie (L), Watkins (9) and Burbage
Blackman (W) and Green

Bennie Griggs pitched Saskatoon's second shutout, a three-hitter, as the Gems downed the Ligon's All-Stars, representing Prince Albert, 8-0.  

Long (L), Peterson (7) and Howard
Griggs (W) and Shirley

Kamsack erupted for seven runs in the 1st inning and went on to trounce Delisle 11-2.  Jim Jenkins allowed just four hits to take the win.  Max and Doug Bentley accounted for all the Delisle offense, each with two hits. Jack Ladra homered for the Cyclones.

Jenkins (W) and Bennett
Coben (L), Murray (1), Cisnero (2) and J Dean

Newcomer Mike Williams held Yorkton to six hits as Regina scored an 11-1 victory.  Williams joined the Caps from the WInnipeg Royals.

Kenny (L), Koroluk (6) and Fennell
Williams (W) and Trimont, Reed (5)

Saskatoon's pitching was a highlight of the tournament.  Bennie Griggs tossed a three-hit shutout against Prince Albert's Ligon All-Stars and Jim Morrow hurled a five-hit shutout to beat Nolrth Battleford. Kamsack's Jack Ladra had two homers.

Ned Powers in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, July 2nd, 1953 :

"A real eye catcher during the two-day Optimist baseball tournament was Jack Ladra, the young Hawaiian centre fielder with Kamsack Cyclones ... he filled the requirements of a clean-up hitter, clouting four-for-10 with two home runs included ... in a game against Regina, he twice robbed Charles Gary of extra-base hits and capped off his brilliant fielding with a deadly peg from deep right centre field to third base where Roy Williams was cut down."

(July 4)   Lee Landrum punched out four hits, a double and three singles, to lead Claresholm over Granum 10-6 to take top prize in the Carmangay baseball tournament.  Allie MacDonald gave up 11 hits but went the distance for the win.  Chester Long started for the White Sox, giving way to Mat Matthews in the 5th inning.  Bob Shearer came on in the 6th and Harold Jones finished.  Ward MacDonald had three singles and Dutch Dodd chipped in with a double and single for the Meteors.  Roy MacLeod paced the White Sox with a double and two singles.

MacDonald and Landrum
Long, Matthews (5), Shearer (6), Jones (8) and MacLeod

(July 6)  The Indian Head Rockets took the $800 first place purse in the Camrose tournament downing Edmonton Pontiacs 5-4 in 10 innings.  Mario Penalver was the hero for the Rockets driving in the tying and winning runs in the 10th with a double off the centrefield fence.  Edmonton had taken the lead in the top of the 10th taking advantage of a walk, two errors and a single.

Rollie Miles, who scored the first Edmonton run in the 4th, gave the Pontiacs a 3-0 lead with a home run.  Jerry Seaman was working on a shutout into the bottom of the 8th inning when leadoff man Marcelino Arozena got aboard with a single, just the third hit for the Rockets.  With one out, Roberto Barbon drew a walk and Penalver load the bases on a bunt single.  A sacrifice fly and an error allowed two runs to cross and Pedro Seoane tripled to tie the score.

Jerry Seaman, Bill Olson (L) (8) and Bob Olson
Conner, Johnson (7), Hernandez (W) (9) and Gilberto Yzquierdo

In the opening round, the Rockets topped the Central Alberta All-Stars 7-1 and the Pontiacs whipped the New York Harlem Yankees 11-2.

On June 24th, the tournament had been halted by rain with only one game in the books. The Medicine Hat (Harlem) Yankees edged Leduc 10-9 while Indian Head and the Central Alberta All-Stars were tied 3-3 after seven innings when the rains came.

Leduc, up 9-6 going into the bottom of the 8th, gave up three unearned runs.  One of the markers was a steal of home by Evans.  The Yankees pushed across the winner in the bottom of the 9th as Johnson singled, moved to second on a safety by Jackson, stole third and scored on a fielders' choice grounder.

Wildshoot, McDonald (L) (6) and Owen
Gray (W) and Henderson

The Central Alberta All-Stars grabbed a 3-0 lead but had to settle for a 3-3 tie as the Indian Head Rockets scored three late runs before rain halted the contest.   Wes Johnston's two-run homer was the big blow for the All-Stars. 

Hernandez and Miranda
Morris and Martin

The Camrose Canadian reported in August that the tournament had run a deficit of more than $900. D. Mattson reported :

Prize money              $2,900.00      Income from all
Advertising, Telephone,                 sources, 1953     $4,205.23 
Telegraph, Postage, etc.  1,006.91
Wages                       399.65      Deficit           $  935.85
Equipment, lumber, etc.     477.93
Sundries                    356.60

Total Expenses, 1953     $5,141.08

(July 8)  Frank Germann's Notre Dame Hounds of Wilcox took top prize money of $1,000 in the Foam Lake tournament with a thrilling 4-3, 14-inning win over Melfort Juniors.  The game finished at 12:20 a.m.   Hap L'Heureux, who came on in relief in the 9th, picked up the win.  Bob Holowaty went the distance for Melfort allowing just eight hits and fanning 20.  7-thousand fans watched the final.

In semi-final action, Hounds beat Yorkton Red Sox 16-1 and Melfort got by Colonsay Monarchs, 3-0.
  

(July 10)  More than 7-thousand fans watched the final of the Third Annual Kamsack tournament as the home town Cyclones beat Indian Head 11-2 to capture top prize in the $3,500 event.  Al Bigelow tossed a four-hitter for the Cyclones while catcher  Bob Bennett led the offense with three hits.  Playing-manager Roy Taylor and shortstop Jim Peterson each had a pair. It was the third game of the day for the Cyclones. 

Bigelow (W) and xxx
Hernandez (L), Yzquierdo and xxx

Rockets reached the final with a 4-3, 10-inning win over Saskatoon.  Gems' Jim Morrow had tied the game with a homer in the 9th but pitcher Roberto Barbon singled in Juan Prats with the winner in the 10th.  Chico O'Farrill had a homer and single for the Rockets.

Cyclones whipped Dauphin Red Birds 22-6 in semi-final action as Jack Ladra belted a three-run homer.  

xxx and xxx
Kosteniuk, Taylor and xxx

In quarter-final games, Kamsack downed Moose Jaw Maples 7-4 behind the pitching of Jim Jenkins and a two-run homer by Dick Hayes. while Indian Head dumped Stenen 21-1, Dauphin ousted Bowsman and Gems defeated Grandview 7-0 as Ted Wills hurled the shutout.

In opening round games, Dauphin Red Birds upset Regina Caps 7-4, Moose Jaw trounced Pelly 20-0, Saskatoon came from behind to top Yorkton 8-4, Kamsack scored a 5-1 win over Roblin as John Zeeben and Jim Jenkins shared the mound work, Indian Head down Rhein 9-4 sparked by Chico O'Farrill's homer, Stenen won a 17-14 slugfest over Donwell, and Grandview topped Holar 15-5.  Bowsman won by forfeit when Gilbert Plains could not field a team because of transportation problems.

(July 16)  The host team also won the tourney in Indian Head.  The Rockets (in reality, the Florida Cubans team which won in 1952) beat Saskatoon 6-2 in the final to take home $1,200 in prize money.  Indian Head also captured the event in 1950.  A crowd of 65-hundred watched the final action.

A five-run 5th inning carried the Rockets to the victory.  Jose Hernandez pitched a five-hitter in gaining the win.  Mike Kanshin and Bennie Griggs split the mound duties for the Gems.

Kanshin (L), Griggs and Shirley, Romay
Hernandez (W) and Miranda

In the semi-finals, the Rockets scored in the 1st inning and it held up for a 1-0 win over Moose Jaw.  Sammy White tossed a three-hitter for Indian Head.

Garrett (L) and Robinette
White (W) and Miranda

Martinez of Saskatoon pitched a five-inning no-hitter as the Gems trounced Lake Valley 10-0.

Martinez (W) and Shirley
Devine (L), Torgeson and Peterson

In the quarter-finals, Bennie Griggs had a one-hit shutout as Saskatoon got by Weyburn 3-0.  

Griggs (W) and Shirley
Shupe (L) and Covert

Regina Red Sox 1 Indian Head 3
Mitchellmore (L) and Turner
Prats (W) and Miranda

Moose Jaw Maples 11 Regina Royal Caps 2
Ralph King (W) and Mannerino
Harrison (L) , Woolley and Lysack

Lake Valley 6 Yorkton 2
Thorseth (W) and Peterson
Dombrowsky, Drake, Kinney and Fennell

Opening day:

Fairlight 1 Lake Valley 14
Hoff (L) and Slobodian
Devine (W) and Peterson

Kamsack 1 Moose Jaw 7
Jenkins (L), Bigelow and Zeeben
Bormouth (W) and Mannerino

Notre Dame 5 Indian Head 17
Dombrowsky (L), L'Heureux and Padewski
Connor (W) and Miranda

Regina Royal Caps 9 Swift Current 6
Larter, Woolley, Clark (W) and Lysack
Bott, Martindale (L) and Koart

Regina Red Sox 14 Wynyard 7
Richardson (W), McFadden and Turner
Smith (L) and Roberts

Mainline 0 Weyburn 8
Shaw (L), Chatterson and Henderson
Hogg (W) and Covert

Saskatoon 13 Shaunavon 0
Morrow (W) and Shirley, Romay
Gray (L),  Olheiser and Cowan

Regina Caps 9 Yorkton Cards 11
Bruton, Donaldson, Peerless, Pickens, Wilder and Snead, Williams, Trimont
Korluk, Kahut and Kinney

(July 25)   Art Shahzade, Jim Pederson and Jack Ladra each drove in two runs as Kamsack downed Sceptre 8-3 to take first prize money of $800 in the Saskatoon Industrial Exhibition Tournament.  Dick Hayes had three hits to go along with his three safeties in the semi-final victory.  Al Bigelow scattered twelve hits in going the distance.

Scott, Gullickson and J Shields
Bigelow and Bennett

Cyclones scored a dramatic 3-1, 10-inning win over Delisle in advance to the final.  Down 1-0 in the bottom of the 9th, Dick Hayes homered to send the match into overtime.  In the top of the 10th, Art Shahzade's throw from left field cut down Doug Morris at the plate to preserve the tie.  Then in the bottom of the inning, with Ron Hager aboard, Jack Ladra blasted one out of the park to give Kamsack the win.  John Zeeben bested Don Kirk in a terrific pitchers' duel.  

Kirk and McKenzie
Zeeben and Bennett

Sceptre beat Melfort 16-8 to win a spot in the final as Bert Olmstead tossed his second complete game in two days.  He also belted a homer.

Olmstead and Gullickson
Archibald, Holowaty (5), Eisner (8) and Stewart, Demmans

Several hockey stars were in uniform -- Bert Olmstead tossed a two-hitter in his first game for Sceptre and had a complete game win the following day.  Glen Hall played the outfield for Marysburg. 

In opening round games :

Junior star Bob Holowaty uncorked a four-hitter and fanned sixteen to lead Melfort Juniors to a 10-3 win over Neilburg.  Melfort broke open a tight game with six runs in the 8th.  Jack Payne had a two-run homer for the winners.  Ollie Harris handled the mound work for the Neilburg tossing to veteran catcher Pete Prediger.  Ollie's father, Arlo had also worked to Prediger.

Harris and Prediger
Holowaty and Demmans

A young Delisle club won a spot in the semi-finals with a 6-3 win over Richlea.  Harold Worth tossed a four-hitter for the win and helped at the plate with three singles.  

Worth and McKenzie
Herb Stevenson and Ellis

Bert Olmstead allowed just two hits to lead Sceptre to a 5-0 win over Marysburg. The Montreal Canadiens hockey star fanned seven and walked three.  Hockey goalie Glen Hall was in the outfield for Marysburg.

Teel and Strueby
Olmstead and Speers

Kamsack Cyclones advanced with a 10-5 victory over Wynyard as shortstop Jim Peterson had four hits and knocked in a pair of runs.  

Arngrimson, Davis, Green and Reynolds
Kosteniuk, Taylor (9) and Bennett

(July 30)  In the 6th Annual Rosetown Legion Tournament, the Saskatoon Gems walked off with the $1,200 top prize with a 7-2 victory over Kamsack in the final. Gems scored all seven markers after there were two outs in the 3rd inning.  Cyclones picked up $700 for their second place finish.  35-hundred fans watched the action.  

Bigelow (L), Kosteniuk (3), Hayes (8) and Bennett
Morrow (W) and Shirley

In semi-final games, Gems defeated a junior team from Saskatoon, the Moores, 10-2.  The big blow was a grand slam homer by Sherman Watrous.

Jackson (W) and Snead
Cisnero (L) and McKenzie

Kamsack blanked Notre Dame 6-0 on Johnny Zeeben's four-hitter.

Steele (2) and Padewski
Zeeben (1) and Bennett, Jenkins (1)

In the playoff for third money, Notre Dame prevailed 3-2 over Saskatoon Moores (who had gained a bye in the opening round when the Ligon All-Stars failed to show).

Hobson (L) and McKenzie
Dumbrosky (W), L'Heureuz (9) and Padewski

In the opening round,  Gems' Bennie Griggs threw a 1-hitter and Max Bentley and Mario Herrera belted homers as the Gems beat Indian Head 7-1.

Griggs (W) and Shirley
White (L) and Yzquierdo, Miranda ( )

Notre Dame surivived a five-run 8th inning by Richlea to notch a 10-7 win.

L'Heureuz (W) and Padewski
H Stevenson (L) and Ellis, Banting ( )

Kamsack scored eight unanswered runs to down Swift Current 8-2.

Abbot (L) and Kort
Zeeben, Jenkins (W) (1) and Bennett
  

(August 1)  Spokane Builders won first prize money of $1,400 at the eight-team,  third annual Lethbridge Rotary tournament.  Builders topped Great Falls Airlifters 2-1 in a 10-inning thriller.  Spokane moved into the final by trouncing Nampa, Idaho Clippers 18-7 while the Airlifters edged Swift Current Indians 8-7. In the first Lethbridge tournament, Worland Indians (Wyoming) whipped Swift Current 9-0 to capture top prize money.  The Ligon All-Stars dropped a 4-3 decision to Great Falls, Montana in opening round action.